Waxed thread guide roll



Dec. 28, 1954 D. P. HAY

WAXED THREAD GUIDE ROLL Filed Dec. 31, 1952 Inventor 'Da na 1? Hay United States Patent WAXED THREAD GUIDE ROLL Dana P: Hay, Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machmery Corporation, Flemington, N. .L, a corporatron of New Jersey Application December 31, 1952, Serial No. 329,029

7 Claims. (Cl. 112-42) This invention relates to improvements in thread-guide rolls, and more particularly in guide rolls for waxed thread shoe sewing or other machines employing thread treated w th materials capable of solidifying.

The ob ect of the invention is to provide a thread-guide roll for a machine of the type referred to which will be freely rotatable at all times and will not be susceptible to stick ng or binding on its mounting stud by reason of solid fied wax .or other materials. Other objects are to provldc a thread-guide roll and a mounting stud, the contactmg bearing surfaces of which may be lubricated or treated with solvent in a more effective manner than heretofore to free the roll for rotation when material capable of solidifying is deposited between the bearing surfaces. A still further object is to provide a thread-guide roll WhlCh is more durable in use than prior rolls because of a greater facility in applying lubricant thereto and a greater than usual freedom from accumulations of solidified thread-treating material or entrapped abrasive materials.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the improved thread-guide roll is incorporated in a sewing machine having devices for tensioning and imparting an intermittent motion to the thread, the intermittently tensioned thread-passing about the roll. To enable utmost freedom in rotation with the illustrated roll, it is formed mm a series of spokes having their ends provided with bearing surfaces and cutting edges to scrape the bearing surfaces for the ends of the spokes free from solidified deposits of thread-treating material. In this way the bearing surfaces both on the spokes and for the roll are kept free from deposits of solidified material. To prevent accumulation of the solidified material about the cutting ends of the spokes, in one form of the invention, recesses are cut in the rolls between the spokes to provide receptacles for solidified material scraped by the cutting edges from the bearing surfaces. When the roll is mounted in the usual manner upon a stud secured in the machine, the recesses between the spokes of the roll also provide reservoirs for lubricating and solvent liquid so that relatively large quantities of such liquid may be brought into direct contact with the bearing surfaces between the stud and the ends of the spokes.

These and other features of the invention as hereinafter described and claimed will readily be apparent from the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a view in right side elevation of a portion of an automatic Goodyear welt shoe sewing machine in which rolls constructed in accordance with the present invention are incorporated;

Fig. 2 is a perspective, exploded view on an enlarged scale showing the construction of one of the thread-guide rFolls 1and its mounting stud employed in the machine of Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the-rolls in end elevation, partly broken away;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the take-up roll shown in Fig. 3 taken along the line IV-IV; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view partly broken away and on an enlarged scale, indicating the manner in which the improved roll clears the bearing surfaces of deposits of adhering solidified material, in which lubricant is applied to the bearing surfaces for the roll.

In the operation of a waxed thread shoe sewing machine, the thread having applied to it intermittently relatively heavy tensions, it is customary to equip the machine wherever possible with friction reducing guide rolls.

Frequently, these rolls are heated to prevent accumulation of solidified thread-treating wax so that the friction reducing character of the rolls will be maintained and the stitches of a seam may be inserted with uniformity'in the work operated upon. To insure freedom of rotation, it is necessary to apply relatively large quantities of lubricating liquid or wax dissolving solvent to the rolls where high-quality work is required. In many instances, excess lubricating liquid will be transferred to the surfaces of a shose causing damage or discoloration. If the rolls are heated, accumulations of wax sometimes decompose into a hardened mass, requiring removal of the rolls from the machine and scraping of the bearing surfaces.

In the illustrated machine the work operated upon comprises a shoe upper 6, an insole 8, and a welt 10, through which passes a curved hook needle 12. The needle oscillates toward and from the work to carry through it loops of thread 14 passing over guide rolls 16, 18 and 20. The thread is drawn toward the guide roll 20 from a tension wheel 22 for imparting a uniform resistance to movement of the thread in accordance with accepted sewing practices. For drawing the thread past the tension wheel 22, the guide roll 18 is mounted on a take-up 24 and the thread engages the guide roll 18 between the rolls 16 and 20, the motion of the take-up corresponding to the requirements of the other stitch-forming devices. Before reaching the tension wheel 22 the thread passes from a supply (not shown) into a wax or other thread lubricant containing pot 26. The wax in the pot is in liquid form, but is capable of solidifying either through cooling or evaporation of a solvent. As thus far described, the machine is similar to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,359,662, granted October 3, 1944, upon application of A. R. Morrill.

In order to maintain the guide rolls 16, 18, and 20 free from accumulation of solidified wax, especially on the bearing surfaces of the rolls, in the embodiment of the invention, each roll is constructed without any solid hub, but with a series of individual spokes 28 having their inner ends disconnected and formed with concave cylindrical surfaces engaging loosely with the cylindrical outer bearing surface of a supporting stud 30. The stud 30 is disposed at right angles to the path of the thread passing from the tension wheel and is secured in the respective part of the machine. In the case of the roll 16, the stud securing part is a fixed bracket 32 into which the stud 30 is threaded. In the case of the roll 18 it is the take-up. 24, and in the. case of the roll 20 it is a resilient, auxiliary take-up 34. Each roll is surrounded by a circumferentially slotted cage 36, which entirely encloses one axial end of the roll.

Between the spokes 28 of each roll is a series of recesses 37 to provide clearance spaces for loose solidified material and the inner ends of the spokes are outlined by cutting edges 38 (see Fig. 5) extending axially of the stud 30 and acting to scrape the solidified material from the bearing surfaces of the stud 30 during rotation of the roll.

To give the roll stability and reduce lateral tilting movement with respect to the axis of the stud 30, each roll has two separate series of spokes 28, one series at each axial end of the roll. The construction of the spokes in two series is accomplished by forming the recesses 37 as circular bores extending throughout the full axial length of the roll in parallel relation to its axis and then cutting out the center of the roll until the bores are intersected. The central part only of the roll is then recessed further providing a circumferential internal groove 40 dividing the spokes into two series. The internal cylindrical surfaces of the groove 40 are relatively wider in circumferential direction than the ends of the spokes 28. The edges of the cylindrical surfaces of the groove 40 between the recesses 37 also act as cutters to remove projecting solidified material adhering to the stud 30 in the manner indicated in Fig. 5. The solidified wax or other material broken off the stud eventually finds its way out through the ends of the recesses 37, the recesses communicating with the grooves to provide means of egress for the solidified wax scraped from the stud by the spokes.

To assist in lubricating the bearing surfaces of the rolls and to retain oil or solvent directed into the recesses, the open side of each roll is partially covered by the enlarged head, indicated at 42 on the stud 30. The head 42 overlaps the major portion of each recess 38, so that when 'the'machine is at rest the portions of the recesses remaining uncovered are readily accessible for oiling or insertion of solvent as by a hand-operated container 44 (Fig. 5). Eachfrecess connects directly with all of 'theinternal bearingsurfaces of the'rolls and communicates directly with 'the circumferential groove 40 to insure complete lubrication for all these surfaces by reason of the circumferential recesses afford storage capacity for quantities of oil sufficient forlong periods of machine operation. Thus, the rolls of the inventon enable the Jmachine to operate more appreciably with less attention on the part of the operator and contribute effectively to the general efficiency in uniform and attention free machine operation.

While the use of the novel thread-guide rolls is especially beneficial in a waxed thread shoe-sewing'machine of the typeillustrated in which an intermittent motion is imparted to the thread, such rolls are also advantageous in use with-other waxed or treated thread machines, the

treatment material of which is capable of solidifying.

Such machines include winding machines, especially for forming bobbins or other waxed thread packages.

The nature and scope of the invention having been noted and aparticular embodiment having been described,

-what is claimed is:

1. In a machine having a device for tensioning a thread treated withrnaterial capable of solidifying,the'cornbination with a stud disposed at-right angles to the path of the thread passing from the tensioning device and a guide roll 'on the stud'about whichthe thread passes from the tensioning device formed with a series of spokes having their inner ends formed'with bearing surfaces engaging the stud and provided with-cutting edges to maintain the bearing surfaces of the stud and roll free from deposits of threadtreating material.

'2. 'In'a machine having-adevice for tensioning a thread treated with material-capable of solidifying, the combination with a stud disposedat right angles to the path of the thread passing from'the tensioning device anda guide roll on the stud about which the thread passes from the tensioning device, formed 'with two separate series of spokes with bearing surfaces engaging the stud at the axial ends of the roll, the spokes having their stud-engaging ends provided with cutting edges to maintain thebearing surfaces-on the stud free from deposits of thread treating material.

3. In a-machine'havinjga device'fortensioning a thread, a-stud disposed at right angles to the'path of the thread passing from the tensioning device, and means for'treating the thread 'Witha material capable of solidifying, the combination with a thread guide roll rotatably mounted on the studatalocation toengage the'thread running from the tensioning device and formed'with a series of studengaging spokes having cutting edges and recesses between theispokes acting as receptacles for'solidifiedmaterial scrapedi'from Ethel-stud by the cutting edges, :said recesses (ill extending the full axial length of the roll and communicating 'withthe bearingsurfaces of the stud throughout its length.

4. In a machine having a'device for tensioning a thread, a stud disposed at right angles to the path of the thread passing from the tensioning device, and means for treating the thread with a material capable of solidifying, the combination withathread guide roll rotatably mounted on the stud at a location-to engage the thread running from the tensioning device, .and formed with a series of studengag'ing spokes having .cuttingedges and recesses'between the spokes acting as receptacles for solidified material scraped from the stud by the cutting edges, said recesses extending the fullaxiallength'of the roll and communicating with the bearing surfaces of the stud throughout its length, and an enlargedhead onthe stud overlapping the recesses at one end of the roll to retain lubricating liquid directed into the recesses and to conduct it into contact withthe spoke ends.

5. Ina sewing machine having devices for tensioning and imparting anintermittentmotion to a sewing thread treated with liquid'material capable of solidifying, the combination Wlth Zi-ZStlld disposed at rightangles to the path of thethreadipassingfromthe tensioning device and a. guide. roll on the stud about which the thread passes from the tensioning device to the'work'operated upon, formed with two'circularserieso'f spokes, one at each axial end of 'thezroll, the ends of the'spokes having bearing surfaces :engaged'with the stud and being formed with cutting edges to maintain the bearing surfaces of the stud and roll free from solidified'deposits of thread-treating material.

'6. :In a waxed thread-sewing machine having devices for :tensioning and :imparting intermittent motion to a thread treated withlliquid wax capable of solidifying, and

:a stud .disposed at .rightangles to'the:path of the thread :passingifrom theltensioning device vto .the work operated upon, the combinationofa thread-guide roll rotatably mounted-on thetstudfat azlocation to be engaged by the thread'running fromitheitensioning device and formed with'a series o'fistudsen'gaging spokes, the bearing surfaces of whichhavea.circurnferential'groove between them to -cleartdeposits of solidifiedwax'adhering to the surface of 'thestud Zin'side .thezroll.

7. finza waxed :threa'd-sewing machine having devices for tensioning aand limparting :intermittentimotion to a thread treated with liquid =wax'capable of solidifying, and

.arstud disposed at right anglesto'the path of the thread :passing .fromtthetensioningdevice to'thework operated 'upon,"the combination zo'fza 'thread-guidexroll rotatably 'mounted 'on'the stud'at'a'ilocation to vengage'the thread running frorrrthe itensioning device and .formed with 'a series =of stud-engaging spokes, the bearing surfaces of which have a circumferential groove between them to ciear'depositso'f solidified waxaadheringtto the surface of the stud inside thearoll, saidspokesrhavingbetween them recessesicommunicatingwith the grooves in-the ends-of the spokes to :provideegressfor solidified wax-scraped fromnhe'studrbyithespokes duringirotation of the roll.

References Cited in the'fileof this-patent UNITED STATES'PATENTS Number Name Date 696,320 Dodge Mar. 25, i902 2,186,153 Staege Jan. 9, 1940 2,350,995 Ashworth June 13, 1944 

